Car seat laws in Montana

A child under 2 years of age must ride in a rear-facing child safety restraint that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer. A child under age 1 should always ride rear-facing, and most convertible seats allow rear-facing for 2 years or more.

A child between 4 and up to 8 years of age must ride in a forward-facing harnessed restraint or a booster seat used with a lap-and-shoulder belt. The adult belt is required at 9, or once the child outgrows the booster's manufacturer height or weight limits, whichever comes first. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: using a belt-positioning booster seat after your child outgrows the harnessed seat, until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they reach about 4 feet 9 inches tall and are 8 to 12 years old. The AAP says an adult seat belt fits when: the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not the belly; and the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with knees bent over the edge of the seat without slouching, and can stay that way for the whole trip. NHTSA uses the same lap-belt and shoulder-belt checks. The 5-step test, which California writes into law from January 1, 2027, asks: 1) Does the child sit all the way back against the seat? 2) Do the knees bend over the edge of the seat? 3) Does the shoulder belt snugly cross the center of the chest and shoulder, not the neck? 4) Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs? 5) Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

No Montana law says where in the car a child must sit. NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

A violation is punishable by a fine of up to $100. The fine must be waived if, within 7 days of the violation, the driver gives the charging officer's office proof of acquiring an appropriate child restraint. The waiver isn't available if a previous violation was already dismissed this way.

NHTSA's locator lists 34 car seat inspection stations in Montana, in 28 cities and towns. Several cities share the most stations (2 each). NHTSA flags 2 of them as Spanish-speaking. Certified technicians check seats for free in most cases. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code and call the station before you go.